Burial vault



Nov. 4, 1952` l.. TRIPP ErAL 2,616,151

BURIAL VAULT Filed April 25, 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 N0 4, 1952, l.. TRIPP ETAL 2,616,151

BURIAL VAULT Filed April 25, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in burial vaults and has particular reference to that class of vaults known as surface vaults, adapted to 'receive caskets therein and to be only partially embedded in the earth.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a burial vault having a casket chamber provided with a vented top and a lining that-is impervious to water, and a cover member made of a plurality of porous spaced apart cover members through which moisture may pass from the casket chamber.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a burial vault having an open top casket chamber and a cover member made up of a plur-ality of porous members with spaces therebetween,

said vault being adapted to be delivered to the grave in-two pieces, the open top casket receiving chamber, and the interengaging cover member adaptedto be hermetically sealed thereon by rubberelastic gaskets.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a burial vault so constructed as to maintain a substantially dry casket chamber by permitting the moisture to escape therefrom bynatural forces.

Other objects are simplicity and sturdiness of construction, ease and economy of installation,"

andfadaptability for use in the various types of earth structure.

With these objects in view as well as other objects which will appear during the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a burial vault partly broken away, embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a, plan view of the base of the burial IIJ refers to a vault bod7 or box of substantially rectangular form and comprising end walls I2 and I4, opposite side walls I6 and I8 and a bottom member 20. This vault body is preferably made of concrete, reenforced by welded steel rods 22, however, it might be made of other suitable material that will withstand the elements and varying temperatures.

Vault body I0 is normally open at the top and is of suitable size and shape to receive a casket therein. The end walls I2 and I4, side walls I6 and I8, and the bottom member 29 are all tightly coated with a metal lining 24, such as copper, lead, zinc, etc. and serve as a part of the mold for casting the concrete body. Before the concrete is poured, the outer surface of the lining 24 may be coated with a suitable waterproof adhesive material 26 which serves to protect the metal and to also function to seal the inner surface of the concrete parts of the vault body.

The inner surfaces of the end and side walls are oiiset to form an inner ledge 28 disposed in planar horizontal relation entirely about the vault wall. The outer surface of the end and side walls are oiset to form an outer ledge 30 which is disposed in planar relation entirely about the vault wall in parallel relation with ledge 28 and at a spacedapart distance therebelow.

Extending upwardly from ledges 28 and 30 is a rib 32 which extends entirely about the upper edge of vault body Ill. For convenience of asl sembly with the cover member the outer wall 34 and inner wall 36 of rib 32 are upwardly converging to present a relatively narrow upper ledge 38.

Cover member 4D is a composite structure adapted to be built up at the factory for delivery at the grave with the body member. These two members serve to form the vault byv embedding the body member in the earth prior to the burial and then after the casket is postioned in the casket chamber the cover is lowered on the body member with suitable packing therebetween.

'Cover member 40 has a lower section 42 of dish shape having an upper recess 44 provided With inwardly and downwardly inclined side walls 46.

The underside of section 42 is upwardly grooved at 48 to conform to and receive the rib 32 to form a suitable joint therebetween. Corresponding parts ofgroove 48 are suitably related to ledges 28, 30, and 38 to receive packing rings 50, 52 and 54 respectively therebetween to form a seal at each of said ledges. These packing rings may be made of any suitable compressible material such as rubber or any other elastic material that will give and take to make tight joints regardless of the material ingredients of the parts.

It will be noted that an apron 56 is formed along the lower outside portion of section 42 which overlaps and extends below ledge 28 thus presenting a very good Waterproof structure for the casket chamber.

A concrete slab 58 is formed to fit against the This lining may be preformedv inclined wall 46 of section 42 so that it is supl ported in spaced-apart relation to the bottom of recess 44 in section 42 to form an air chamber 60 therebetween.

The upper surface of slab '58 is positioned below the upper edge of section 42 and is adapted to receive concrete 62 thereon to fill recess 44 thereabove with concrete. Cover member 40 has an inverted dish shaped cover plate 64 made of reenforced concrete which rests on lower section 42 with an air chamber 66 formed therebetween. The lower surface of cover plate 64 is provided with a continuous depending ilange 68 which is embedded in concrete layer 62 while the concrete is yet green, thus providing an oiset joint between these parts.

When the cover members are thus constructed and permitted to properly cure, the cover 40 will be as one member that can be handled for delivery to the burial place for positioning on the vault body l0.

The lower portion of recess 44 is tted with dish shaped lining 10 made of a suitable metal such as copper, lead, zinc, etc., which will with stand the action of elements that might be contained therein.

Thimbles or sleeves 12 integral with lining 10 extend through section 42 to interconnect air chamber 60 with casket chamber 14 in the vault body I0. The upper ends of thimbles 12 extend above the bottom section 16 of lining 10 so that when moisture collects in the dish shaped lining it lwill -not flow into the casket chamberv until the `dish shaped lining is lled to a point above the upper end of thimbles 12.

`The moisture is caused to be removed from the casket chamber by natural :forces in the following manner.

When the burial vault is positioned in the ground the cover plate 64 will extend above the ground surface and be subject to the heat of the sun rays, The corpse in the casket chamber will be in the vault bodygwhere considerable moisture will tend to collect. It is one of the principal objects of this invention to permit the escape of the moisture so as to maintain a substantially dry condition within the casket chamber.

When the sun shines on cover plate 64 it will be heated and a portion of this heat will be conducted to the intermediate concrete layers 62 and 58, thus causing a greater evaporation of the moisture in the casket chamber. This moisture laden air will enter air chamber 60 when some will condensel and be deposited in dish shaped lining 10 and some will be caused to pass upwardly through porous members 58 and 62 to air chamber 66, then through cover plate 64 to the atmosphere. Due to the changing temperatures during the usual day and night periods this sun heating of the porous cover plate and the night cooling and this natural pumping action of the moisture from the casket chamber will eventually remove substantially all the moisture from the casket chamber, which will become substantially dry. Dish shaped lining 10 is of sufficient size to take care of the usual amount of accumulated moisture during long cloudy sessions so that practically no moisture will be deposited in the casket chamber 14.

A pillow 18 cast integral with cover plate 64 is provided with a suitable inscription plate 80.

Referring to Figs. and 6 it has been found expedient to reenforce the corner portions of rib 32 to prevent breakage when placing the cover member thereon. This is accomplished by widening the base of the rib at its base 82 and maintaining its upper ledge 38 of substantially uniform width throughout its length.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A burial vault adapted to be partially buried in the earth comprising a vault body having an open top, a metal lining in said vault, a cover member for said body comprising a plurality of superimposed porous members having air spaces therebetween, means for providing a waterproof seal between said body and said cover, a dishlike member formed of metal and disposed on the upper surface of the lowermost of said porous -cover members, and a thimble interconnected at its upper end with said dish-like member and extending downwardly through said lowermost porous member to communicate with said vault body.

2. A burial vault adapted to be partially buried in the earth comprising a vault body having an open top, a metal lining in said vault, a cover member for said body comprising a plurality of superimposed porous members having air spaces therebetween, means for providing a waterproof seal, between said body and said cover, a metal container'disposed on the upper surface of the lowermost of said porous cover members, and a tubular thimble interconnected at its upper end with said container and extending downwardly through said lowermost porous member.

3. A burial vault adapted to be partially buried in the earth comprising a vault body having an open top, a metal lining in said vault, a cover member for said body comprising a plurality of superimposed porous members having air spaces therebetween, means for providing a waterproof seal between said body and said cover, a metal container disposed on the upper surface of the lowermost of said porous cover members, and a tubular thimble interconnected at itsupper end with said container and extending downwardly through said lowermost porous member, the upper end of said thimble extendingy above the bottom of said container, whereby normally to prevent ow of fluid from said container to said vault body. v l

. LUE' TRIPP.

CHARLES H..TRIPP.

REFERENCES CITED. l A The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,839,149 Haase Y Dec. 29, 1931 2,188,626 Elledge Jan. 30, 1940 2,265,876 Sleichter Dec. 9 1941 2,274,103y

Tripp Feb. y 24, 1942 

